Certain consumable items present challenges for packaging and retail display. Retail items that are brittle, elongated, and asymmetrically shaped, for example, are easily broken in many conventional types of packaging structures. Such breakage during the course of shipment and retail display results in a revenue loss for the merchant, and/or an unpleasant purchasing experience for the consumer. However, packaging that attempts to prevent breakage by completely surrounding the breakable retail item with cushioning material, for example, obscures the consumer's view of the retail item and may therefore discourage purchasing.
As one example, holiday sweets such as candy canes are easily shattered during the transition from manufacturer to retailer to consumer. The brittle consistency and elongated and asymmetrical shape of the candy cane makes it particularly susceptible to breakage. However, while it would be desirable to prevent such breakage and loss by surrounding candy canes with shock-absorbing material, the retailer is also motivated to display them in an ornamentally appealing way that will attract the attention of the consumer and thereby increase “impulse purchases.”
Therefore, there is a need for improved articles of manufacture for the packaging and display of elongated, asymmetrically-shaped, and brittle retail items, such as candy canes.